


Girl who made the night sky.

by Sagartolen



Category: Dreaming of Sunshine, Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gardens, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Dimension Travel, Fanfiction of Fanfiction of Fanfiction, Friendship, Fuinjutsu, Gen, Pre-Canon, Sharing a mind, Silver Queen's Dreaming of Sunshine Universe, Time Travel, wafflelate's gardens verse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-06-03 02:40:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19454632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sagartolen/pseuds/Sagartolen
Summary: To return home Shikako splits herself infinitely across dimensions. A fault in one of the splits results in a discorporated Shikako stranded in the Naruto canon-verse.





	1. The Seal

**Author's Note:**

> Fanfic I started on the ff net forums then continued on Tumblr, [here,](https://pi-cat000.tumblr.com/post/177399040962/girl-who-made-the-night-sky-p1) and am now posting here to make it easier for people to find. 
> 
> .
> 
> The fanfic is based on [wafflelate’s](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/9791355/wafflelate) The Many Gardens of Shikabane-Hime [(link to google doc)](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vDHYH9ucLckC62pqyVlWWQ1ZtKwgbgZrd0mwLc99Oe0/edit) which is, in turn, based on Silver Queen’s [Dreaming of Sunshine](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7347955/1/Dreaming-of-Sunshine). So there is a lot of fanception going on. 
> 
> Link to [Juno-nine’s ](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2169256/Juno-nine) original post which inspired this work: [Shikako hitches a ride with canon!Sakura ](https://www.fanfiction.net/topic/180237/137948546/554/#169484179)
> 
> Credit for the title goes to Wafflelate.  
> .
> 
> \- ((I think that's everyone. Thanks for the inspiration guys.))  
> .
> 
> Forum link [here](https://www.fanfiction.net/forum/We-re-all-just-Dreaming-of-Sunshine/180237/)
> 
> I posted under the username [Starcat000](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2320583/Starcat000)

_Sakura glanced about, taking in the neat rows of chairs and desks. All empty. Odd. She walked to the door, peering into the hallway. It was empty too. No academy students. No teachers. Usually, this would be enough to make her uneasy. Sakura shut the classroom door, blocking off the empty hallway. Absently, she fiddled with a strand of hair, wondering what she was supposed to do when there were no teachers around._

_She glanced upward at the stunning night sky, which had replaced the dull grey of the academy ceiling. A field of stars stretched out in every direction. Some shone with brilliant light. Others faded into the gloom, disappearing into the eternity beyond. Among them danced deeper shadows, making the stars all the more vivid. If only she could reach up and touch them._

_The more she stared upwards, completely enthralled, the more is seamed that something was looking back. Something living. Something incomprehensible. The night sky shifted, twisting. Eyes, deep black, blinked, swallowing the nearby stars like a bottomless pit. They watched her as she lifts a hand and to give a small wave._

_“Hello,” her voice was small, disappearing into the sky._

_The shadow continued to watch. The eyes were impassive. Around her, the classroom seemed to blur, like it was melting upward into the night. The more she looked the more distorted her surroundings became. If this went on any longer then she would fall upward as well._

_The eyes closed, turning away._

_“Where are you going?” She asked, confused. The sky seemed further off, disappearing, floating out of reach._

_“I can’t stay,”_

_“Why?”_

_“I’m falling,” The shadow responded, voice fading._

_Sakura stared. She looked down at the ground, solid beneath her feet, and lift up her hand._

_“Here, hold on to me.”_

_For a second everything was still. Then the sky rippled like the surface of a pond disturbed by a rock or pebble._

_A shadowy hand reached down towards her outstretched palm and hesitated inches before touching. If the shadow didn’t act soon it would be too late. The longer they waited the further away the sky became. One by one the stars began to disappear. Stuffed out like candles._

_Sakura stood to her tiptoes, stretching the remaining distance. Her solid flesh hand closed about the shadow one. It was warm like her own. Not cold and dead like she thought it might be._

_“Thank you,” the shadow breathed._

_And Sakura pulled._

. . . 

Sakura awakes groggy and disorientated like she had done a few laps around the academy yard. She glances about, trying to gain her bearings. She's in her room, everything is quiet. Across from her bed, her clock flickered. 2:30 am. A flash of colour catches her eye. Groggily, she glances down at her chest and the light shining from under her pyjama top. The light that had woken her up. She pulls down the fabric to stare at the swirling patterns, spinning down her front. Strange symbols glow, spiralling out across her collar bone and curing into a smaller circle above her heart. They shine, covering most of her torso in ornate decoration.

As she gaps the writhing figures twist, moving inwards and converging into the circle. Soon, the elaborate pattern has completely collapsed, leaving behind three tomoe curled inward, encircled by a squiggly spiral. It glows brightly on her chest before dimming and disappearing completely. The whole process occurs so quickly that it leaves Sakura rubbing her eyes, wondering if she's imagined the whole thing.

She glanced at the clock. 2:31 am. She needs to get back to sleep. She has a test in 5 hours.

. . .

The following afternoon, after the test was over and she had returned from the academy, sees Sakura standing in front of her bedroom mirror.

This should probably worry her more than it did.

Sakura stares at her unmarked chest. She could have sworn there had been something there this morning. She poked at the flesh above her heart. Nothing. Had she imagined it? Apprehension pools in her gut. Hallucinations were never a good sign. Maybe it's a by-product of stress? It _had_ happened just before a test.

Satisfied with this conclusion she makes to pull on her pyjamas. Midway through buttoning up the sleepwear, she hesitates. The markings had reminded her of the sealing scrolls and explosive tags Iruka-sensei had demonstrated several weeks earlier. Fūinjutsu. Her knowledge of it was limited to basic concepts and warnings not to attempt anything without qualified supervision. She frowned, once again staring at her chest.

One thing she does know was that, when applied, seal work could be invisible unless exposed directly to chakra. It was the foundation behind basic seal traps. If she was correct in remembering the information then…

Sakura closed her eyes, concentrating chakra into her palm, then applying it to her chest. A few seconds past and she opened her eyes. Her breath hitched. There, circling her heart and decorating her collar bone, was the pattern from this morning. It was completely different from the explosive tags she used in class. Fascinated, she moved in closer. She should probably be more worried. She wasn’t. If anything, this was exciting. At the back of her mind, something warm shifted in amusement.

The markings faded away, causing her to draw back. She frowned. In her enthusiasm she let go of her chakra, causing it to disperse. She had never tried to channel it to one body part for so long before. Her hand was tingling with the start of pins and needles. Determinedly, she freed a piece of paper from the pile at her desk, snatching up a pen. With great concentration, she began gathering chakra, this time in her left hand. It was harder but she needed her right hand to sketch. As accurately as possible she outlined the pattern on the paper. There was no class tomorrow, meaning she could go to the library and see what information she could find.

It took several attempts before she was satisfied with her replication. By the end, her left hand was numb from chakra use. Satisfied, she hid the sketches in her notebook, tucking it away carefully. Excitement coiled in her stomach. She couldn’t wait to get to the library tomorrow. 

. . .

The library was useless.

It was a painful conclusion to come to. Sakura glared at the scrolls and books all recounting the same useless information about seals. The same unhelpful facts over and over. They were more focused on warning people off the subject and recounting history, and even that wasn’t very detailed. Iruka-sensei’s lessons had been more informative.

Sakura slammed the book shut with unneeded force. She doesn't know why she had thought any different. As with most things ninja related, information was scarce. It was annoying for her, someone who didn't have a clan to fall back on, to constantly hit this roadblock. Keeping up with the clan kids was hard. There was a lot of basic knowledge she didn’t know. Hours she had spent in the library, supplementing her understanding, maintaining her spot as top kunoichi. The lack of anything even remotely useful was disheartening.

Sakura sat mutely for a few seconds, stewing in annoyance and trying to come up with some other way to attain the information she wants. Another plan of action. No way she was going to let this go. Seals didn’t just appear on people. At least, she was pretty sure they didn’t randomly appear on people. She frowned, mulling it over. This is exactly why she needs more information. How was she supposed to figure things out if she didn’t even have a baseline to work from? Maybe she could ask Iruka-sensei for some extra reading material. Not that that did her any good right this second.

Like an echo, her irritation seems to almost be reflected back at her.

**/cagyninja./**

Sakura paused, glancing around. Had someone spoken?

“Hello,” She asks and immediately feels foolish when she is met with rows of quiet shelves. Sakura could have sworn someone else had spoken. A few more seconds of waiting in silence and she sighs. Maybe she should take a break. It _was_ lunchtime and her parents had given her extra money so she might as well get something nice to eat. Carefully, she packs away her sketches and notes, ordering them so they would be easy to understand when she examined them next. Then she put her reading materials into a neat stack, heading to the front desk and waving at the head librarian.

The sun outside is bight and warm, chasing away the musk of books. Food carts crowed the dusty street alongside merchants and salespeople. Sakura picks her way through the throng, keeping a careful grip on her books. Once lunch is acquired she heads away from the main street, towards her favourite park. One she knew to be empty at this point in the day. Sakura, munching on her food, sits herself down at the foot of a tree, pulling out her notes and reading over the merger information. Like many things in Konohagakure, it’s seals were attributed to the work of the Fourth Hokage. Konoha Standard, it was called. Not that she could find any examples of said seals. There was also nothing about seals appearing on the body and no mention of mysterious voices accompanying the appearance. As a single child of busy civilian parents, she had become well accustomed too entertaining herself with internal debate, examining the re-examination ideas and the things she learnt. Sometimes her internal monologues seemed to have a life of their own. She couldn’t help but think that this was different. Almost as if on cue, the foreign sensation of amusement returned. It was almost like there was a sentient shadow behind her thoughts, reflecting them back at her. They were almost strange.

Sakura glanced around, making doubly sure the park was empty.

“Um, hello,” She asks out loud, trying to direct the question at the foreign emotions.

When nothing responded she tried a second time, “Uh, voice in my head?”

“…My name is Haruno Sakura,” She introduces, trying not to feel silly. Long awkward seconds tick by before a reply comes.

**/Kako,/** It echoes like it has to travel a long distance. It was simple. Said without inflection or emotion.

“Kako? Is that your name?”

“Why are you in my head? Does it have something to do with the seal?”

Stillness and silence follow. Sakura waits.

**/Yes./**

The simple answer makes her scowl. That's far too vague for her to work with. Like a mirror, her frustration filtered around, coming back to her from Kako. Whoever this ‘Kako’ was they were just as frustrated by the simple communication as she was. Further attempts as conversation elicited even less of a response.

Eventually, she snaps in frustration, “Why can’t you talk to me? Is something wrong? Am I annoying?”

Maybe she was pushing too hard. Sometimes people said her questions were annoying. She hoped Kako didn’t think she was annoying.

**/Tired,/** Came the slow response, resonating sluggishly around her mind.

**/Sleep./**

With this final declaration is a renewed stillness. Her mind and emotions settle, no longer disturbed by the second presence. She is kind of disappointed to see Kako go. She had so many questions. Hopefully, Kako just needed rest and would be back later. Though annoying, Sakura could work with this. She would go to Iruka-sensei and ask for more material on seals. That would have to wait until after classes though. Right now, she would go back to the library and try to find some sort of information on Kako. Perhaps, there had been someone in a similar situation at some point in history.


	2. The Seal 2

“…and, since my family doesn’t have access to this sort of information, I was wondering if you could direct me to somewhere that does?”

Iruka stares. Haruno Sakura stands before him, gripping her notepad, having just delivered a mini-speech detailing why she needed access to additional material on fūinjutsu. She shuffles, repositioning said notepad, and the silence between them stretches.

“Information on seals?” He repeats somewhat sceptically, arching an eyebrow.

Sakura nods, looking up with hopeful eyes. Iruka exhales. He hated disappointing his students, but fūinjutsu isn't something pursued on a whim.

“Unfortunately, texts on fūinjutsu aren’t available to pre-genin, you’ll have to wait until graduation before accessing the more advanced material,” He explains.

Sakura’s expression shifts to one of slight annoyance, “I promise I won’t try and replicate any seals. I just want to expand my understanding.”

Her insistence causes him to pause. Where had this interest come from? Sakura, who rarely questioned him or objected to instruction, was pushing for supplementary information on seals of all things? It has been several weeks since he'd demonstrated the standard explosive tags and storage scrolls genin would encounter once in the field. He had given his usual spiel, highlighting their uses, function and intentionally omitting the process by which they were made. Sakura, who had performed admirably during the class, had not expressed anything other than superficial academic interest. And now she wanted to 'expand her understanding?'

It was odd. But, perhaps she is taking initiative. Which is positive. Or maybe she had read one to many stories about the Yellow Flash applying a seal and instantly winning a battle. Whatever the reason, additional information is never a waste. Sakura is intelligent, she had a good work ethic when she applied herself, and her chakra control was some for the best he had seen for her age. Maybe she would benefit from the extra study. One didn’t become a good ninja by being coddled. Besides, it is not like any of the texts kept at the academy had anything really dangerous written in them. They didn’t even cover the process of constructing the seals.

“I can give you some of the academy’s scrolls on fūinjutsu to take home, but be aware that they l only provide a broad overview of the subject,” He relents.

Sakura’s face transforms into an excited grin, “That’s okay. I don’t mind. Thank you. I promise I’ll be careful with them,”

“Return them by next week,” He warns.

Sakura nods impatiently and Iruka sighs, realising he has lost his audience. He turned, walking to the classroom’s locked supply unit. While Sakura shuffled eagerly from foot to foot Iruka rooted through stacks of scrolls. Hopefully, Sakura would maintain this level of enthusiasm even after she discovered that fūinjutsu was one of the most convoluted subjects to be perused by shinobi. He freed the two scrolls on basic fūinjutsu theory, leaving the third, which covered the designs for basic explosive tags and storage scrolls.

“There you are,” He turns and almost has the scrolls snatched from his hand. As it were, Sakura manages to contain herself, bowing politely.

“Thank you, Iruka-sensei,” She repeats, carefully taking the scrolls.

“You have a week,” He calls as she hurried out of the classroom, scrolls pressed against her notepad.

A week later Sakura is back, asking for more. As he handed over the final scrolls, reiterating the importance of not attempting any seals without supervision, his thoughts drift to his own notes on fūinjutsu. He had several notebooks outlining the function and process for making several types of storage scrolls. He had long since memorised the process, but maybe, Sakura would find them useful. To be a great Shinobi one needed a little something extra. Whether it be genius, drive, a unique jutsu or a clan to fall back on, succeeding took more than being 'good’ or even being 'above average.’ Maybe this would be the start of Sakura’s something extra. It went against academy policy but, if Sakura was serious, then maybe he could bend the rules this once.

He does not expect Sakura to return, presenting him with several replicas of Academy Standard explosive tags. Not just any replicas, active seals, meaning Sakura had figured out how to infuse ink with chakra and the basics of seal replication. At least she is asking him to review them and not letting them off by herself. He shuddered to think of the destruction and chaos they could cause in a civilian neighbourhood. There were a few errors, nothing to stop the seals from functioning adequately, making them impressive for first attempts.

. . . 

Sakura idly taps her pen against the bottom of her workbook, pausing in her notetaking. From several rows behind, she can hear the soft sound of snoring which is slightly off-putting. Not that she could really blame them in this instance. She loved class. She loved learning and teaching herself new things. She was good at learning and absorbing knowledge. However, when they lingered on a subject for just a bit too long, even she lost interest. Even interesting subjects like ‘Politics of the Third Shinobi War’ became boring once you heard the same information repeated several times. Sometimes, she envied Kako, sleeping through most of the day, only awake in the afternoon.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE FOURTH HOKAGE WASN’T AT THE BATTLE!”

Sakura winces as the class loudmouth jumps up in an explosion of energy, screaming at the teacher. Several students jerk in their seats, taken off guard, while others snigger. The snoring stops.

“SIT DOWN NARUTO! Now the Fourth Hokage wasn’t at every battle. This is a common misconception. In fact, there were several key victories fought and won without his intervention, attributed to Konoha’s superior teamwork,” Iruka continues to lecture, smoothing transitioning back into politics.

Sakura’s eyes drift to the clock. After school, before Kako had come along, she would hang around, waiting for Sasuke or maybe joining the other kids in games. Now she can't wait to get home, to the privacy of her room, where she can talk to Kako and continue working on her seals. Kako’s 'awake time’ had been steadily increasing over the last few weeks. This had coincided with an increase in communication, which had grown from single words to two or even three-word sentences. Her anticipation makes these final seconds of the school day agonisingly slow. If only she could figure out a way to talk to Kako without having to literally talk out loud. Then she could do it all the time.

“Well I think that’s it for today,” Iruka begins to dismiss, “Make sure you’re on time for the field exercises tomorrow or you'll be doing remedial classes with the first years." The class begins to move, the murmur of conversation filling the air .

Sakura quickly gathers her school supplies, dating and adding the topic to the table of contents on the book’s first page. Just because she is devoting a bunch of time to figuring out the mysterious seal doesn't mean she can let her regular studies drop. A good thing she has already read ahead in her theoretical studies or she might find the balance challenging

While she weaves her way through the crows of students, she directs her attention inward, attempting to prod Kako awake. This process is always tricky, with varying degrees of success. Sometimes it took her calling Kako’s name out loud before anything happened. Sometimes Kako didn’t wake up at all, remaining dormant and unresponsive for several more hours. Luckily, today Kako awakes easily, quickly picking up on Sakura’s intentions. The shadows, nestled in the recesses of her mind, seem to uncurl like a sleepy cat. A prickly sensation, akin the goosebumps, runs down her neck followed by a feeling of watchfulness. Wakefulness. Interest. Warmth.

**/Morning./**

The greeting was unhurried. Lethargic. The corner of Sakura’s mouth quirks up and she covers it with a hand so her classmates can't see. Kako always says 'morning’ no matter the time of day.

At the school gates, Sakura pauses to reorder her bag. In the back of her mind, Kako settles, content to follow her progress in silence. She shoulders her bag, turning out of the school and pausing when a figure catches her eye.

There was Sasuke.

Sasuke is walking away from the academy alone. No Ino or Ame in sight. She hesitates, maybe this is her chance to finally get into his good graces. Her best chance eeven. Excitement bubbles in her stomach and she opens her mouth to call out after him. Without anyone to hinder her, attempts at sparking romance would be more successful. She remains rooted to the spot, mouth hanging open. Then again, any time she spent out here, pursuing Sasuke, was time she could be spending on developing her new interests.

Her indecision must have caught Kako’s attention because she shifts, responding to Sakura’s change in focus. Curiosity dances across their thoughts. Kako doesn't see things like regular people, instead of using chakra to sense her surroundings. Sakura knows Kako has an impressive sensory range so is unsurprised when she immediately responds.

**/Sasuke?/**

Oddly, the question sounded more confused than anything else. Sakura, of course, can't respond without drawing odd looks from the scattered people dotting the road around her. Instead, she stares after Sasuke’s retreating form.

**/Looks Lonely./**

The comment draws her from her gazing. It takes her a few seconds to figure out that Kako is talking about Sasuke and not herself. But...Sasuke is always surrounded by admirers, it didn’t really make sense for him to be lonely. She watches him a bit longer as he disappears around a corner, taking the long path past the academy training grounds. The old training grounds no one used. She frowns, glancing down at the pavement. Sasuke had lost his clan not too long ago, all his family, so, even if he's not lonely, it made sense for him to be upset. Maybe that's what Kato meant.

Sakura turns away, still frowning. There would always be another chance to talk with Sasuke. She turns her attention to Kako not liking like how melancholy the other had become. All quiet and muted. As soon as she got home she would ask Kako lots of questions about seals. Kako loved answering questions about seals. That would cheer them both up.

. . . 

Recognising Sasuke was like a punch to the gut. If she had a gut- _or any body part_ -it would be twisting in discomfort. His chakra, familiar yet so very foreign, is isolated and cold. A far cry from the prickly warmth she had come to associate with her friend. Shikako follows his signature as it disappears into the messy- _overly complex and headache inducing_ \- web of chakra and life energy that made up Konohagakure. Probably, heading in the direction of his clan compound. A clan compound with no one in it. Frustration curls within, a ripple moving through her shadowy not-body, and she tries to stamp it down so as not to let it affect Sakura. She wouldn’t allow Sakura to share her discomfort. Not when she owed her so much. Despite being ‘awake’ for barely an hour the effort of containing herself was already draining her dry. 

Being discorporate, immaterial, incorporeal-whatever it was called- was hard. Nothing worked as it should. Not even her emotions. She expended far too much energy compensating for her inexperience. Shikako would have sighed had she the facilities. Instead, she tries to let the Sasuke issue- _and all the complicated emotions connected to it_ \- go, focusing on Sakura. For now, there is nothing she can do for Sasuke. Vibrations, as Sakura chattered and talked, tug gently from all directions, providing a distraction. With some mental effort and concentration, the vibrations can be deciphered as ‘words.’ Shikako listens to Sakura talk through the beginning steps for the creation of a sealing scroll. At some point, the two of them must have arrived home from the academy. Time had less meaning when one was disembodied, slipping by when Shikako's attention wondered for too long. Sakura probably hadn’t noticed her inattention, happy to simply chatter to herself while Shikako wrestled with her unruly emotions. Shikako doesn't try to stop the sense of fondness from oscillating outward, breaching the thin membrane separating the two of them. A second later it is returned, echoed back at her, peppered with sparks of joy and relief. It seems that Sakura had noticed her inattention after all. 


	3. The Seal 3

_She was standing in the middle of a dirt field. In her hand was an awkwardly sized scroll. Across the field stands of people were watching in silent anticipation._

_She was moving, swinging the scroll around till it hit the ground. Ink blossomed out from the point of contact, spiralling across the rock, dirt and grass. A city of stone rose up around her. Giant pillars of rock._

_Was she doing that?_

_She was moving. Fast. Faster then she had ever moved. Seals flourished under her feet as she ran. Her opponent blocked her with waves of sand. Lighting danced between her fingers. Red hair flashed under the sun and her opponent ducked away. In the distance, crowds were cheering. They were cheering for her. The world seemed to explode outward. The stone pillars were falling. She was falling. It was okay. The sand was cushioning her fall._

_Then it was dark. The warmth faded to be replaced with a creeping cold._

_Dust. It floated in the air, catching stray rays of light. A stone room. A stone floor covered in red. Red as far as the eye could see. The world was red. Shadows moved just out of sight, dancing out of reach. Something huge and unfathomable stirred._

_It watched._

_It knew she was there._

_Fear, panic. She was trying to run but she had no body to run with. She was trying to escape but whatever it was had pinned her in place. She was a shadow. She was nothing._

_She was falling. Away. Away from everything._

_Down, down, down._

_Into the dark and shadow. It pressed down from all sides, sealing her in. Ahead a mass of dense backness blocked the way, offering a reprieve from the chaos. All she needed to do was sink. Sink and let it take her away._

**/!WaKe uP!/**

Sakura jerks, flinging herself upright.

Her muscles tense. Her breath is short.

The world slams down around her, heavy and real. Instead of the suffocating darkness, there is soft blankets. Slowly, her vision clears, revealing the dim outlines of her wardrobe, desk and chair. For a few seconds she can’t breathe, her chest too tight. The shadows around her wobble and shift like long appendages, reaching across the room. 

Kako is a churning mass of frantic concern, hovering just out of reach. Sakura fumbles for her lamp, switching it on. Warm light illuminates her room, softening its edges. The shadows are just shadows. For several seconds Sakura sits in silence, listening to her harsh breath and pounding heart.

**/Okay?/**

The question and its underlying concern penetrates her disjointed thought. She swallows.

“Okay,” she repeats dumbly.

“Okay. I’m Okay,” Her voice sounds hollow and wooden in the silent room, bouncing off the walls. She shivers. Kako calms to relief before drawing away to distance herself.

“What was that?” Sakura asks, trying to pull Kako back in. She doesn’t want to be alone. Not after that.

**/A dream./**

“A dream? That was a dream?” She whispers, half in disbelief. It had been so real. The sound of her voice is absorbed into the carpet. Barely audible. She shivers again, swallowing and pulling her knees up to her chest. Silence ticks by, slow and uncomfortable. In the back of her head, Kako watches, also silent. It reminds her of the _dream_. That thing had also watched from the shadows. It had seen her. _What if it was still watching?_ Her breath hitches and the sound echoes, impossibly loud. Even the beat of her heart seems too loud for the unnervingly silent room.

**/Tea?/**

The comparison shattered. Kako is Kako again, her concern palpable and warm. Sakura exhales, glancing towards the door, shaking her legs free of the blanket. The movement feels good. Tea is a good idea. There is no way she can sleep now. Quietly, she pads down the hallway and past her parent’s room.

On first glance, the kitchen is dark and still. Closer inspection reveals the far window, half-open, letting in the sound of crickets and the street outside. A soft breeze pulls at the drapes. Moonlight illuminates the dining table in a soft glow, also reflected on the metal appliances.

The motions of brewing tea, boiling water, and finding cups, calm her nerves, giving her something to focus on. She pours a cup for herself and, after a second of hesitation, pours one for Kako as well, placing it opposite her own. For a few minutes, she sits, watching the steam on both drinks rise, dispersing into the air.

**/Better?/**

Sakura inhales the smell of herbs and spices. She did feel better.

“Yeah.”

She takes a small sip of the hot tea.

“Thanks,” She mumbles. All that fuss over a nightmare. And she called herself a ninja. What sort of Shinobi fears their own bedroom?

Kako stirs, uneasy. **/No thanks needed./**

Sakura focuses inwards, but Kato has pulled away, cornering herself off and out of reach. Maybe the dream had disturbed Kako as well. When you shared emotions with someone you begin to pick up on these things. She thinks of the red and that thing, _that terrifying thing watching_.

A full-body shudder. Maybe it had been more than a dream. Where they in danger?

Kako, sensing her unease, returns, edging back. A new warmth tickles the edges of her shared thoughts as Kako smooths over the worst of her anxiety. No. They weren’t in any danger. She took a sip of tea and relished its fruity taste. Whatever that ‘not-dream’ was, she wasn’t in danger. She trusts Kako.

In fact, now she thinks about it- _before the whole thing had spiralled down into a nightmare_ -the ‘not-dream’ had been fun, exciting even. She had been fighting someone in some sort of tournament. No. That wasn’t right. It hadn’t been her fighting. She had been more of a passenger, reliving a past memory. Like those times she dreamt about Taijutsu class.

If it hadn’t been her then…It had to have been Kako. She is almost 99% certain. Sakura, shadowy monsters momentarily forgotten, turns her attention to Kako.

Intellectually, she knew ninjas had the capabilities to literally move mountains. She supposed she had never internalized what this might mean. The way Kako had combined seals and Taijutsu and Fūinjutsu. The speed, moving so fast the world became a blur. Explosions at the touch of a hand. It had been incredible. Better than anything Sakura thought possible. Better than anything she thought she was capable of.

“That was you fighting against the red-haired man wasn’t it?” How could it have been anything but?

Kako doesn’t respond but her silence is enough for Sakura.

“You were amazing,” She mumbles to her cup. Not for the first time, Sakura wonders who or what Kako had been before she had ended up trapped in her head. Did she resent being stuck with someone like her? Someone scared. Someone weak.

Kako is silent, seemingly surprised by her words.

**/Possible for you./**

Sakura snorts, “How? I’m not strong. All I can do is read and memorize stuff.”

She tries not to let the taunts of her peers influence her but, in situations like this, it was hard.

 **/Training,/** Kako declares with finality, amusement echoing outwards. That is easy for her to say, Kako is a disembodied voice. When would she even have time for extra training? She barely as enough time to pursue her own interests as it was.

/ **Anyone can be strong,/** Kako encourages, sounding like she actually believes it.

Maybe if she started waking up earlier, she could fit more training in. It wouldn’t be fun, but if she managed her time correctly then perhaps she could work something out.

“If, hypothetically, I wanted to be able to do things like that, where would I even start?”

Kako gives off an amused hum, / **Stamina./**

Sakura scowls. Her least favourite of the shinobi arts. 

**/Basics first,/** Kako reiterates almost gleefully. Sakura is getting a sinking sense that Kako is planning something unpleasant.

**/Stamina is important./**

“Okay, fine, I’ll wake up early from now on and work on my stamina,” She relents, already regretting bringing it up. She just needs to keep believing that this is better for her in the long run. Seals were all well and good, but Sakura wants to be able to apply them in combat, meaning she must be faster, stronger, smarter, and all-around better than she is now.

Sakura thinks back to the ‘not-dream,’ to the sensation of flying, ground disappearing beneath her steps. She wants to fly like that. She wants to never feel that powerless again. Whether it be in a dream or in real life. 

With the power of good time management, anything is possible.

. . . 

Long into the night, after Sakura returns to her bad, Shikako churns, worry preventing her from resting. That had been far too close. If she had waited for a second longer, she would have lost Sakura’s mind in the black. Sakura didn’t have a shadow affinity, putting her at risk every time their souls and chakra drew too close. She should have recognised the danger sooner and been on alert to prevent it. She should have identified their incompatibility before she’d committed to remaining in this dimension. Now, as much as she hates to admit it, Shikako has a serious problem on her hands. The seal, trying her and Sakura together, is incomplete.

A Frankenstein combination between the Fourth’s Jinchūriki seal and Orochimaru’s soul transfer seal, the Shikako-Seal is a hastily thrown together mess. She'd made it as she was being sucked between dimensions, so of course it needed work. However, she had thought it stable enough to at least keep the two of them separate and Sakura safe. Evidently, there has been a miscalculation.

The night hours pass quickly, and soon Shikako feels Sakura stir awake, her conscious thoughts drifting out towards her. For the moment, Shikako ignores them, focusing still on the problem at hand.

A Jinchūriki seal isn't made to house a human soul, forcing her to cut and paste in whole sections from Orochimaru’s research. Because her understanding of Orochimaru’s research was flaky at best, she’d miscalculated, and now her and Sakura’s chakra was in danger of bleeding together. Extremely dangerous for Sakura.

Currently, she had two plans to remedy this.

One: Give Sakura training, and built her resistance. This was dangerous because Shikako is entirely unsure if a resilience would be enough. That, and she doesn’t actually know how to teach someone how to not fall into the black. Shikako would need help. Probably help form her dad.

Two: Fix the seal. This one is hard because Shikako can't alter the seal herself while being locked inside it. Thus, she would have to explain the process to Sakura. Very tricky, considering their communication was limited to short bursts of one to three-word sentences.

Whatever path she took, she would need to do it carefully. Konoha wasn’t exactly safe, and people would definitely jump to the wrong conclusions if the seal were discovered. 


End file.
